Improvement in rowlocks



UNITED STATES PATENT QEEIoEc NATHANIEL S. GRAVES, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND FRANK F. WOODS, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN ROWLOCKS.

Speciiication forming part of Letters Patent No. 186,005, dated January 9, 1877; application filed May 16, 1876.

To all whom zt may concern Beit known that I, NATEANIEL S. GEAvEs, of Boston, in the county ot' Su'olk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Rowlock, oi' which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to an improved rowlock 5 and consists in the combination, with the rowlock, of concaved holders, adapted to embrace a spherical or convex sleeve attached to the oar, the holders retaining the oar in position with relation to therowlock, and permitting' it to be moved to properly propel the boat and to feather7 the oar.

Figure l represents this improved rowlock in side elevation, the oar being shown in crosssection. Fig. 2 represents the rowlock viewing it from the right or left hand side of Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is a section on line x w, the oar being' removed.

The socket-plate a to receive the pintle b of the rowlock c is secured to the rail or gun Wale, or to an Outrigger on the boat. A metallic sleeve, d, provided with a globular surface, is adjustably connected with the oar o by one or more set-screws, 3 4, and this sleeve is confined or held in the rowlock between the concaved plates or holders e, supported by screws 5, projecting through the rowlocks, the inner or concaved faces ot' these holders being provided with projections 6, to aiford more metal to receive the screw 5. These projections 6 enter a groove formed in the sleeve, but preferably they will not touch the sleeve; and, it' desired, these projections may be entirely omitted, or the projections may be caused to project from the convex side and enter a hole in the rowlock, (see dotted lines at left of Fig. 1,) and in this case there will be no wear on the screw 5.

The oar 0 may be moved up and down in the arc of a vertical circle, (see arrows y,) and may be rotated in the direction ot' arrows a', and may be moved in the arc of a horizontal circle, the pintle of the rowlock then revolving in its socket, and in this way the oar is retained by a ball-and-socket joint, having practically a universal motion.

The upper portion 2 ot' the rowiock acts as a brace to keep the lower part from spreading, and the screw 4, acting against the holders e, forms a forward and a feathering stop for the oar in its axial rotations, and at the same time serves to hold the oar in the sleeve, and permit it to be adjusted to place the handle of the oar so as to project more or less toward the center ot' the boat.

The oar, it will be noticed, is not cut or weakened in being attached to the sleeve or rowlock.

l claiml. The pivoted rowlock, in combination with the globular sleeve and concaved holders, adapted to lit the sleeve, substantially as described.

2. The oar and its globular sleeve and setscrew 4, in combination with the rowlock and concaved holders, to operate in connection with the oar and holders, substantially as described.

In testimouy whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NATHANIEL S. GRAVES.

Witnesses:

G. W. GREGORY, FRANK F. Woons. 

